Coin-chute for vending-machines.



H. s. MILLS. COIN CHUTEFOR VENDING MACHINES.

APPLIOATLON FILED FEB. 8, 1912.

Patented Junell, 1912.

thus operative.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT S. MILLS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

COIN-CHUTE FOR VENDING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT S. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coin-Chutes for Vending- Machines, of which the following is a specification. q

The object of my invention is to equip the coin-chute of a vending machine with means for effectively arresting and directing out of the chute any spurious disk of magnetic metal that may be used in an attempt to operate the machine. fraudulently.

My improvement is designed, more particularly, for use in a coin-chute of a vending.

machine the-delivery mechanism of which is adapted to be rendered operative by the attainment therein of a predetermined position by a coin of proper denomination run through the chute; and my purpose, in that connection, is to prevent a disk of steel, iron or other magnet-1c met-a1, from being used for rendering that mechanism so operative, by arresting it in its course through the chute and causing it to fall out of the same.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows a coin-chute by a view in side elevation equipped-with my improvement; Fig.

2 shows the same but with the face-plate of the chute removed to show details of my improved means, and Figs. 3 and 4 are sections respectively on the lines 3 and 4, Fig. 2.

A coin-chute 5, of the construction shown or of any other desired construction, as provided in any vending-machine, inclines downwardly from a coin-insertion slot 6 provided in a suitablepart of the machinecase, represented at 7; and it leads at its distal-end to discharge therefrom a coin, introduced at the slot, into a position in the machine to render operative the deliverymechanism thereof, so that if a mere steel or iron disk of proper dimensions be used, its discharge from the chute will introduce it intoposition for rendering the machine To obviate this I provide the chute, between its ends, and preferably nearest its inner end as shown, with a vertical slot 8, the bottom of which afiords a discard-opening 8 leading by preference into the bottom of the casing of the machine. A magnet 9, of the preferred horseshoe type of permanent magnet represented, is fastened to a side of the metal chute in position to extend 'itstpoles nearly to the rear Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 8, 1912. Serial No. 676,314.

Patented June 11,

end of the slot 8. In the upper end of that a slot is pivoted, to hang more or less loosely therein in the path through the chute, a stop shown as a finger 10.

The magnetic field within the chute, with the small magneti9 secured to the'outer side of the chute-wall, is weak, in the sense of being inadequately powerful to overcome the momentum of a disk of magnetic metal rolling through the chute and clearing theopening 8 the same as would a suitable coin, which is non-magnetic. and the momentum of which would overcome the slight resistance of the stop 10 and clear it. The extent of obstruction. opposed by the pivotal stop to a coin or disk of steel, or the like, is enough, however, to maintain either momentarily in the magnetic field, but, of course, without magnetic influence on the coin. If, though, such a disk be used, the retarding of its progress by the stop in the magnetic field exposes it sufficiently to the influence of the magnet to maintain it long enough at the opening 8' to cause it to'discharge therethrough by gravity and thus dislodge itself from obstructing, for subsequent operation of the machine by a proper coin, thepas-- sage throu h the chute, besides frustrating ghekfraudu ent purpose with the dislodged 1s I am aware that it is old to provide a magnet in position to arrest a disk in its course through the coin-chute of a vending machine for preventing it from exerting the function of a proper coin in the latter; and it may magnetic field adequately for the arrestinginfluence thereof on the spurious token to cause it to drop by gravity out of the chute through the opening.

What I claim as new and desire by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination, a coin-chute provided between its ends with a bottom discardto secure opening, a magnet having its field at one end of said opening and insufiiciently powertul toalone overcome the momentum of andhalt a disk of magnetic metal rolling in the chute through said field, and a yielding stop extending into the coin-path through the chute atthe opposite, advance end of said opening and-operating, in conjunction with said magnet, to sufficiently retard the progress of such disk through said chute as to cause it to discharge through said discard-- opening, said stop presenting a degree of reslstance insufficient to prevent the pas-' sage of a coin through said chute and past said opening.

2. In combination, a coin-chute provided between its ends with a bottom discardopening, a magnet having its field at one end of said opening and insuflicien tlypowerful to alone overcome the momentum of and halt a disk of magnetic metal rolling in the chute through said field, and a pivotal stopfinger depending into the coin-path through the chute at the opposite, advance end of said opening and operating, in conjunction with said magnet, to sufficiently retard the progress of such disk through said chute as to cause it to discharge through said discard-opening, said stop-finger presenting a through said chute-wall, said field being insuflicintly powerful to alone overcome the momentum of and halt -a disk ofmagnet-ic metal rolling therethrough in the chute, and

-a pivotal stop-finger depending into the coin-path through the chute at the opposite, advance end of said opening and operatin in conjunction 'with said magnet, to sufficiently retard the progress of [such disk through said chute as to cause it to -discharge through said discard-opening, said stop-finger presenting a degreeof resistance insufiicient to prevent'the passage of a coin through said chute and past said opening. HERBERT S. MILLS. In presence of L. HEISLAR, R. SCHAEFER. 

